When it comes to Toyota SUVs, only the Land Cruiser comes to my mind. While it is an excellent machine, you can’t deny that it’s built as a competitor (if not a copy) of Land Rover. Don’t get me wrong, if there’s an Japanese-made SUV that I could get, I’d opt for the Toyota if it’s just for their reputation for being hardy outdoor vehicles. (And yes, the Hilux has always been a winner for me.)

But as far as SUVs go, the Land Cruiser (EDIT: or the Sequoia for that matter) is in no way a compact SUV. In today’s market where crossovers and compact SUVs seem to be a hit, Toyota doesn’t have anything to pit against the BMW X3 and the Infiniti EX35 save perhaps for the Lexus RX series (pictured). Some Toyota execs are thinking that marketing one via the Lexus badge can be a good move.

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A president Jim Lentz says they’re exploring the market data primarily focusing on the group who are “sick of the suburbs, but who don’t want to give up the utility of their SUV.”

Source: Automotive News via eGMCarTech